


Dim lighting

by Irondadandspiderbaby



Series: Rhodeytony post-Endgame [1]
Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Angst, Christmas without Tony, Depressed James "Rhodey" Rhodes, Depression, F/M, Gen, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, James "Rhodey" Rhodes Needs a Hug, Men Crying, Natasha Romanov Lives, Sad Ending, Sad Rhodey, Steve didn't leave the timeline, he's not old in this one, yeah tony's dead in this one
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-25
Updated: 2019-11-25
Packaged: 2021-02-18 12:40:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 618
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21561280
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Irondadandspiderbaby/pseuds/Irondadandspiderbaby
Summary: Rhodey's Christmas is going down the drain without Tony.
Relationships: Pepper Potts & James "Rhodey" Rhodes & Tony Stark, Pepper Potts/Tony Stark
Series: Rhodeytony post-Endgame [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1553845
Kudos: 12





	Dim lighting

Christmas light scatter around the Stark tower as Rhodey makes his way to his room. His room only has an arc reactor light beaming light into the darkness of the room. He doesn't take the time to put up Christmas lights, not since Tony won't be there to see them. 

Tony _was_ the Christmas fanatic. Now, he's gone. 

Rhodey takes a swig of his whiskey and throws the bottle against the wall, watching the bottle break into pieces. 

"Col. Rhodes, Mrs Stark wishes that you come down to the dinner." F.R.I.D.A.Y. requests. "She won't take no for an answer."

He groans and gives in, "I'm on my way." He heads to the elevator and steps into it. _How am I going to get through Christmas without you, Tony? I can't do it._ The elevator stops at the dining room where Pepper is cooking the dinner.

She turns to him and goes to him for a hug. "You look like shit."

He returns the hug and sobs onto her shoulder. 

"I know," she tells him. "Let it out, it's okay."'

"I can't do it, Pep, I can't." He sobs loudly. 

Sobs echo through the room as Pepper lets him let it out. She knows that this is the first time that he openly sobbed since the ride to Wakanda after Tony...left. 

**Flashback:**

_Pepper has fallen asleep due to exhaustion. Steve Rogers bends down to Tony's body and cries silently. Rhodey sees Rogers do this and walks up to him. "You don't get to cry. You don't deserve to cry after everything you've put him through. This is your fault! You took him away when he was happy for once!" He yells out and lets out a sob. Sam pulls Rhodey into a bone-crushing hug._

* * *

Once he stops crying, he sighs and pulls away from her. "I'm sorry, Pepper--"

"You don't get to say that for crying," she says to him. "Tony was my husband, but you two were brothers. I can't compete with that, and we both know what Tony would want you to do."

He nods. "I know. I've been with him for Christmas since he was a teenager and now he's gone."

"I get it, it hurts, but he would want you to help yourself and stop drinking. He wouldn't want you to go down that road. How long have you been drinking?"

"Since after the funeral."

"We'll talk about it later."

~~  
A few hours later, the team shows up. Rhodey sees Steve keeping tears at bay, Natasha sitting in a seat with sadness in her eyes, and everyone is on edge. Rhodey sits next to Natasha. 

"When I came back, they told me that he was gone," she tells him as she chokes. "I thought they were joking until I saw his gravestone. We haven't seen you for a while, Rhodey."

"I know," he agrees with her. "I've been low lately and I don't think I can swim back up this time." He feels her kiss his forehead.

Natasha starts to say something but Pepper beats her to it.

"Hey, everyone," Pepper begins. "I know we're missing him right now, but he would want us to have a good time and be happy that we're here. So, tonight, this is for him. How about we say one thing about him before we start?"

Steve nods. "He forgave me when I didn't deserve it."

"He's a hero." Sam says. 

One by one, the team says one thing about him then they begin to eat the dinner. Rhodey takes a sip of some wine and quickly puts it down and stands up. "I can't do this." He runs out of the room.

**Author's Note:**

> Also Rhodey's braces give Rhodey the abilty to run.


End file.
